Church members worship after devastating fire

Members of the Childress Memorial Church of God in Christ rejoice during a service at the Convention Center on Sunday. The church burned to the ground last week, so services are being held at the Convention Center.

Photo By Michael Miller/For the Express-News

Firefighters David King (left) and Justin Alexander survey the fire damage at what remains of the Childress Memorial Church of God in Christ on the East Side.

Photo By Michael Miller/For the Express-News

Parishioners greet each other as they wait to board a bus for the Convention Center, where a service was held Sunday. The last-minute move was aided by City Councilwoman Ivy Taylor, who lives near the church. A cause for the blaze is being sought.

Photo By Michael Miller/For the Express-News

FOR METRO - The remains of the Childress Memorial Church of God in Christ at 901 N. Pine Street after a fire are shown on Sunday, Feb. 3, 2013. MICHAEL MILLER / FOR THE EXPRESS-NEWS

Photo By Michael Miller/For the Express-News

Patricia Palmer surveys the fire damage at the remains of the Childress Memorial Church of God in Christ at 901 N. Pine Street on Sunday, Feb. 3, 2013. Palmer said she had attended the church for over 40 years.

Photo By Michael Miller/For the Express-News

William Watson, right, greets Tia Forbes before they board a bus headed to the Convention Center near the remains of the Childress Memorial Church of God in Christ at 901 N. Pine Street on Sunday, Feb. 3, 2013.

Photo By Michael Miller/For the Express-News

FOR METRO - Bishop Samuel E. Iglehart, pastor of the Childress Memorial Church of God in Christ, speaks during a service at the Gonzalez Convention Center on Sunday, Feb. 3, 2013. MICHAEL MILLER / FOR THE EXPRESS-NEWS

Photo By Michael Miller/For the Express-News

FOR METRO - Ivy Taylor, right, and her daughter, Morgan, 9, participate in services with Childress Memorial Church of God in Christ at the Gonzalez Convention Center on Sunday, Feb. 3, 2013. MICHAEL MILLER / FOR THE EXPRESS-NEWS

Photo By Michael Miller/For the Express-News

Members of the Childress Memorial Church of God in Christ rejoice during a service at the Gonzalez Convention Center on Sunday, Feb. 3, 2013.

Photo By Michael Miller/For the Express-News

Members of the Childress Memorial Church of God in Christ choir sing during a service at the Gonzalez Convention Center on Sunday, Feb. 3, 2013.

Photo By Courtesy of Juan Jesus Trevino, 21 Pro Video

The Childress Memorial Church Of God In Christ is located at that corner at 901 North Pine Street.

Overnight fire hits East Side church. Lisa Krantz/ Express-News

Photo By Kin Man Hui/San Antonio Express-News

Area residents view the remnants of the Childress Memorial Church of God in Christ after a fire destroyed the historic building on Saturday, Feb. 2, 2013. A two-alarm fire at the church after midnight had multiple fire crews on the scene attempting to extinguish flames topping the building. Firefighters and arson investigators were on the scene shortly after sunrise to assess the cause.

Photo By Kin Man Hui/San Antonio Express-News

Firefighters and arson investigators attempt to assess the cause of a two-alarm fire at the Childress Memorial Church of God in Christ on Saturday, Feb. 2, 2013. The fire at the church after midnight had multiple fire crews on the scene attempting to extinguish flames topping the historic building. Firefighters and arson investigators were on the scene shortly after sunrise to assess the cause.

Photo By Kin Man Hui/San Antonio Express-News

Firefighters and police attempt to assess the cause of a two-alarm fire at the Childress Memorial Church of God in Christ on Saturday, Feb. 2, 2013. The fire at the church after midnight had multiple fire crews on the scene attempting to extinguish flames topping the historic building. Firefighters and arson investigators were on the scene shortly after sunrise to assess the cause.

Photo By Lisa Krantz/San Antonio Express-News

Bishop Samuel Iglehart, right, the pastor at Childress Memorial Church Of God In Christ, minister Jesse Peterson, center, and media ministry coordinator Leon Burns gather with parishioners, friends and community members across from the church which burned in a multi-alarm fire overnight in San Antonio on Saturday, Feb. 2, 2013.

Photo By Lisa Krantz/San Antonio Express-News

City Councilwoman arrives on the scene after a multi-alarm fire overnight at Childress Memorial Church Of God In Christ in San Antonio on Saturday, Feb. 2, 2013.

Photo By Lisa Krantz/San Antonio Express-News

Twins Jayla Compian, left, and Janae, 7, watch as firefighters continue to work at the scene of multi-alarm fire overnight at Childress Memorial Church Of God In Christ in San Antonio on Saturday, Feb. 2, 2013. Their mother, Louise Tovar, was raised in the church and they have attended it too. "I haven't been in a very, very long time and my intentions were to come tomorrow," Tovar said.

Photo By Lisa Krantz/San Antonio Express-News

Firefighters continue to put out hot spots Saturday morning after a multi-alarm fire overnight at Childress Memorial Church Of God In Christ in San Antonio on Saturday, Feb. 2, 2013.

Photo By Lisa Krantz/San Antonio Express-News

Bishop Samuel Iglehart, right, the pastor at Childress Memorial Church Of God In Christ, minister Jesse Peterson, center, and media ministry coordinator Leon Burns gather with parishioners, friends and community members across from the church which burned in a multi-alarm fire overnight in San Antonio on Saturday, Feb. 2, 2013.

Photo By Lisa Krantz/San Antonio Express-News

Murphy Robertson, right, and William Scott look at the damage to their church, Childress Memorial Church Of God In Christ, after a multi-alarm fire destroyed it overnight in San Antonio on Saturday, Feb. 2, 2013.

Photo By Lisa Krantz/San Antonio Express-News

Parishioners Tiffanie Wilson, right, and Audie Walter, left, with Skip Wilson, look at the damage to their church, Childress Memorial Church Of God In Christ, after a multi-alarm fire destroyed it overnight in San Antonio on Saturday, Feb. 2, 2013. Wilson attends a different church but has family who attend Childress Memorial.

Photo By Lisa Krantz/San Antonio Express-News

City Councilwoman Ivy Taylor, center, being greeted by parishioner Tiffanie Wilson, right, is overcome with emotion as she arrives on the scene after a multi-alarm fire overnight at Childress Memorial Church Of God In Christ in San Antonio on Saturday, Feb. 2, 2013.

Photo By Lisa Krantz/San Antonio Express-News

Parishioners including Deborah Jordan and her daughter, Alexis Bishop, 12, center, look at the damage after a multi-alarm fire overnight at Childress Memorial Church Of God In Christ in San Antonio on Saturday, Feb. 2, 2013.

Photo By Lisa Krantz/San Antonio Express-News

Twins Jayla Compian, left, and Janae, 7, watch as firefighters continue to work at the scene of multi-alarm fire overnight at Childress Memorial Church Of God In Christ in San Antonio on Saturday, Feb. 2, 2013. Their mother, Louise Tovar, was raised in the church and they have attended it too. "I haven't been in a very, very long time and my intentions were to come tomorrow," Tovar said.

Photo By Lisa Krantz/San Antonio Express-News

Bishop Samuel Iglehart, the pastor at Childress Memorial Church Of God In Christ, talks about the destruction of his church after an overnight multi-alarm fire in San Antonio on Saturday, Feb. 2, 2013.

Photo By Lisa Krantz/San Antonio Express-News

Firefighters continue to put out hot spots Saturday morning after a multi-alarm fire overnight at Childress Memorial Church Of God In Christ in San Antonio on Saturday, Feb. 2, 2013.

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The first song the Childress Memorial Church of God in Christ sang together as a congregation Sunday, less than two days after a fire left its church a charred shell, was indicative of its spirit — hopeful.

“Over my circumstance, given me another chance, you reign,” they sang, hands raised and heads held high.

The congregation was displaced from their building at 901 North Pine St. to the Convention Center after a fire destroyed the church and almost everything in it. The Bible passages, songs and sermon Sunday encouraged church members to press on, even though their home of nearly 50 years is gone.

“Yes, we've gone through a tragedy, but Childress is not over,” said Bishop Samuel Edward Iglehart. “I just got news all the way from heaven that God says he's still with us. He still has our back.”

The East Side community served by Childress Memorial has been the scene over the past two months of six fires in which arson is suspected as the cause. The fire department did not suggest that the church was the target of an arsonist, but the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was part of the team investigating the incident, a routine component of church fire investigations.

Church leaders are working with city officials to reestablish a permanent home for the church. The congregation erupted in cheers when Iglehart announced a $100,000 donation from Community Bible Church.

“That's a lot of money,” said Deacon Burnie Roper. “We're grateful for their support and the support of the community. We need their prayers.”

The church's regular services to the community also have been interrupted by the building's destruction. The food ministry usually serves breakfast to about 200 people on Sunday mornings, but couldn't yesterday. Many members didn't find out about the fire until they showed up to find the church in shambles, said Janea Lampkin, who works with the food ministry and has been a church member for 26 years.

“For me, that was even more heartbreaking than seeing the church burned down,” she said. “There are people who depend on those meals.”

Lampkin plans on working to get the food ministry running again as soon as possible. She said she has to move forward, just like the rest of the church.

“People expected the service to be canceled and the church to fall apart, but we came together,” Lampkin said.

The fire department estimated initially that the blaze inflicted about $300,000 in damage to the historic church, but Bove called that number a rough estimate made without the benefit of tax records and valuations.

Samuel Iglehart called that estimate vastly understated. Each of the church's 15 stained-glass windows could cost $300,000 to replace, the bishop said. He said the church was insured for $3.3 million, and that probably would not cover all the losses.

The last-minute arrangements to move Sunday's service to the Convention Center were aided by City Councilwoman Ivy Taylor, who lives near the church. Taylor requested the cornerstone of the church be saved after demolition, along with an undamaged painting of T.D. Iglehart, who was bishop of the church before his son Samuel took over.

Taylor was present at the service, along with City Manager Sheryl Sculley.

“We looked at some places on the East Side (to have the service), but this was the most available and able to accommodate so many people, and we're happy to host them,” Sculley said.

As Childress Memorial looks to rebuild, another church, St. Mark's Episcopal Church in downtown San Antonio, celebrated completion Sunday of its $15 million overhaul, including a $2.6 million facelift of its sanctuary.

The church welcomed Mayor Julián Castro and County Commissioner Tommy Adkisson to its service, which included a rededication of the baptismal font, pulpit and altar. The congregation, which gave a standing ovation to the architects and construction company involved in the renovations, also heard music performed on a newly restored organ.

“It was a historical, magnificent day in the life of this parish,” said Father Mike Chalk, rector. “This space is to inspire us and the community, and we take that very seriously.”